RATIONALIZING FUNCTIONS TO IDENTIFY RE-USABLE SERVICES

• US 20140089911A1
• Filed: 09/27/2012
• Published: 03/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Allam, Abdul, Huizar Rodriguez, Francisco R., Gonzalez Lojero, Jaime M., Godinez Ramirez, Jesus
• Granted Patent: US 8,949,819 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/171
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/36 Software reuse

Abstract

A method of dynamically offering upgraded services in a network comprising functions, the method comprising a computer performing the steps of: applying a similar functionality analysis on the functions of a network; retrieving the plurality of functions stored by the similar functionality analysis from the repository, and creating a pivot table; categorizing the functions within the pivot table; filtering the pivot table by a functional area of the pivot table; recreating the pivot table based on the functional area; and differentiating the exposable functions within the pivot table from non-exposable functions by attributes of the functions.

Claims

1. A method of dynamically offering upgraded services in a network comprising functions, the method comprising a computer performing the steps of:

a) applying a similar functionality analysis on the functions of a network, comprising the steps of the computer;

i) retrieving a plurality of candidate services from the network, each functions having a description, at least one attribute, and a name;

ii) for each function, determining whether the name is the same or similar to a name of another function and if name is not the same or similar to any other function, continuing with the analysis at step (a)(vi);

iii) for each function, determining whether the description is the same or similar to a description of another function; and

if the description of a function is not the same or similar to the description of another function, determining whether the name of the function correspond to a filter used in the network,

if the name of the function corresponds to a filter used in the network, continuing with the analysis at step (a)(viii);

otherwise continuing with the analysis at step (a)(vi);

iv) determining whether there is a common name which can represent the plurality of functions being compared;

if there is a common name which can represent the plurality of functions being compared, linking each of the plurality of functions with the common name and continuing with the analysis at step (a)(ix);

v) for all functions which are not linked to a common name, continuing with the analysis at step (a)(ix);

vi) for each function, determining whether the name is compliant with a verb and noun guide; and

if the name is noncompliant with the verb and noun guide;

if the function is not to be reanalyzed, deleting the function and continuing the analysis at step (a)(ix); and

if the function is to be reanalyzed, returning to step (a)(i);

vii) for each function, determining whether a proper pattern is being used;

if the proper pattern is not being used;

if the function is not to be reanalyzed, deleting the function and continuing the analysis at step (a)(ix); and

if the function is to be reanalyzed, returning to step (a)(i);

viii) for function, determining if there is a faç

ade in which the function can be associated with and if there is a faç

ade that can be associated with the function, associating the function with the faç

ade for access by a user through the facade; and

ix) storing the plurality of functions in a repository;

b) retrieving the plurality of functions stored by the similar functionality analysis from the repository, and creating a pivot table;

c) categorizing the functions within the pivot table;

d) filtering the pivot table by a functional area of the pivot table;

e) recreating the pivot table based on the functional area; and

f) differentiating the exposable functions within the pivot table from non-exposable functions by attributes of the functions.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step, after step (f), of sending results of step (f) to a service modeling toolkit, to evaluate the functions for exposure decisions.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step (f) of the computer differentiating the exposable functions within the pivot table from non-exposable functions by attributes of the functions further comprises the steps of the computer:

i) for all functions, populating all attributes of the functions;

ii) for all functions, determining if the function is a business activity, and if the function is not a business activity, continuing with analysis at step (f)(iv),

iii) for all functions, determining whether the business activity is repeatable within a same sub-process; and

indicating the function as a service; and

if the business activity is unrepeatable within the same sub-process, indicate the function as a function;

iv) for functions, determining if the function is from similar functionality analysis;

if the function is not from similar functionality analysis, removing the function;

v) for all functions, determining whether the function is a filter which can be part of the faç

ade and indicating the function as a function, and if the function is not a filter which can be part of the faç

ade, continuing with analysis at step (f) (vi);

vi) for all functions, determining whether the function is reusable across different scenarios and indicating the function as a service;

if the function is not reusable across different scenarios, continuing with analysis at step (f)(vii); and

vii) for all functions, determining whether the function is not reusable across different scenarios but valuable to business, indicating the function as a service, and if the function is not valuable to business, indicating the function as function.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the pivot table comprises at least one function defined by a name, operation of the function, functional area, business type activity and function type.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein after step (a)(viii), the computer determining if there is not a faç

ade in which the function can be associated, determining if the function is sufficiently related to other functions, such that a faç

ade is created to relate the sufficiently related functions under the faç

ade.

6. A computer program product for dynamically offering upgraded services in a network comprising functions, the computer program product comprising:

one or more computer-readable, tangible storage devices;

a) program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to apply a similar functionality analysis on the functions of a network, comprising program instructions to;

i) retrieve a plurality of candidate services from the network, each functions having a description, at least one attribute, and a name;

ii) for each function, determine whether the name is the same or similar to a name of another function and if name is not the same or similar to any other function, continue with the analysis at step (a)(vi);

iii) for each function, determine whether the description is the same or similar to a description of another function; and

if the description of a function is not the same or similar to the description of another function, determine whether the name of the function correspond to a filter used in the network,

if the name of the function corresponds to a filter used in the network, continue with the analysis at step (a)(viii);

otherwise continue with the analysis at step (a)(vi);

iv) determine whether there is a common name which can represent the plurality of functions being compared;

if there is a common name which can represent the plurality of functions being compared, linke each of the plurality of functions with the common name and continue with the analysis at step (a)(ix);

v) for all functions which are not linked to a common name, continue with the analysis at step (a)(ix);

vi) for each function, determine whether the name is compliant with a verb and noun guide; and

if the name is noncompliant with the verb and noun guide;

if the function is not to be reanalyzed, delete the function and continue the analysis at step (a)(ix); and

if the function is to be reanalyzed, return to step (a)(i);

vii) for each function, determine whether a proper pattern is being used;

if the proper pattern is not being used;

if the function is not to be reanalyzed, delete the function and continue the analysis at step (a)(ix); and

if the function is to be reanalyzed, return to step (a)(i);

viii) for function, determine if there is a faç

ade in which the function can be associated with and if there is a faç

ade that can be associated with the function, associate the function with the faç

ade for access by a user through the facade; and

ix) store the plurality of functions in a repository;

b) program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to retrieve the plurality of functions stored by the similar functionality analysis from the repository, and create a pivot table;

c) program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to categorize the functions within the pivot table;

d) program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to filter the pivot table by a functional area of the pivot table;

e) program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to recreate the pivot table based on the functional area; and

f) program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to differentiate the exposable functions within the pivot table from non-exposable functions by attributes of the functions.

7. The computer program product of claim 6, further comprising program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to, after program instructions (f), of send results of step (f) to a service modeling toolkit, to evaluate the functions for exposure decisions.

8. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein the program instructions (f) to differentiate the exposable functions within the pivot table from non-exposable functions by attributes of the functions further comprises the program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to:

i) for all functions, populate all attributes of the functions;

ii) for all functions, determine if the function is a business activity, and if the function is not a business activity, continue with analysis at step (f)(iv),

iii) for all functions, determine whether the business activity is repeatable within a same sub-process; and

indicate the function as a service; and

if the business activity is unrepeatable within the same sub-process, indicate the function as a function;

iv) for functions, determine if the function is from similar functionality analysis;

if the function is not from similar functionality analysis, remove the function;

v) for all functions, determine whether the function is a filter which can be part of the faç

ade and indicate the function as a function, and if the function is not a filter which can be part of the faç

ade, continue with analysis at step (f) (vi);

vi) for all functions, determine whether the function is reusable across different scenarios and indicate the function as a service;

if the function is not reusable across different scenarios, continue with analysis at step (f)(vii); and

vii) for all functions, determining whether the function is not reusable across different scenarios but valuable to business, indicating the function as a service, and if the function is not valuable to business, indicating the function as function.

9. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein the pivot table comprises at least one function defined by a name, operation of the function, functional area, business type activity and function type.

10. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein after program instructions (a)(viii), determine if there is not a faç

ade in which the function can be associated, determine if the function is sufficiently related to other functions, such that a faç

ade is created to relate the sufficiently related functions under the faç

ade.

11. A computer system for dynamically offering upgraded services in a network comprising functions, the computer system comprising:

one or more processors, one or more computer-readable memories and one or more computer-readable, tangible storage devices;

a) program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to apply a similar functionality analysis on the functions of a network, comprising program instructions to;

i) retrieve a plurality of candidate services from the network, each functions having a description, at least one attribute, and a name;

ii) for each function, determine whether the name is the same or similar to a name of another function and if name is not the same or similar to any other function, continue with the analysis at step (a)(vi);

iii) for each function, determine whether the description is the same or similar to a description of another function; and

if the description of a function is not the same or similar to the description of another function, determine whether the name of the function correspond to a filter used in the network,

if the name of the function corresponds to a filter used in the network, continue with the analysis at step (a)(viii);

otherwise continue with the analysis at step (a)(vi);

iv) determine whether there is a common name which can represent the plurality of functions being compared;

if there is a common name which can represent the plurality of functions being compared, linke each of the plurality of functions with the common name and continue with the analysis at step (a)(ix);

v) for all functions which are not linked to a common name, continue with the analysis at step (a)(ix);

vi) for each function, determine whether the name is compliant with a verb and noun guide; and

if the name is noncompliant with the verb and noun guide;

if the function is not to be reanalyzed, delete the function and continue the analysis at step (a)(ix); and

if the function is to be reanalyzed, return to step (a)(i);

vii) for each function, determine whether a proper pattern is being used;

if the proper pattern is not being used;

if the function is not to be reanalyzed, delete the function and continue the analysis at step (a)(ix); and

if the function is to be reanalyzed, return to step (a)(i);

viii) for function, determine if there is a faç

ade in which the function can be associated with and if there is a faç

ade that can be associated with the function, associate the function with the faç

ade for access by a user through the facade; and

ix) store the plurality of functions in a repository;

b) program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to retrieve the plurality of functions stored by the similar functionality analysis from the repository, and create a pivot table;

c) program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to categorize the functions within the pivot table;

d) program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to filter the pivot table by a functional area of the pivot table;

e) program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to recreate the pivot table based on the functional area; and

f) program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to differentiate the exposable functions within the pivot table from non-exposable functions by attributes of the functions.

12. The computer system of claim 11, further comprising program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to, after program instructions (f), of send results of step (f) to a service modeling toolkit, to evaluate the functions for exposure decisions.

13. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the program instructions (f) to differentiate the exposable functions within the pivot table from non-exposable functions by attributes of the functions further comprises the program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to:

i) for all functions, populate all attributes of the functions;

ii) for all functions, determine if the function is a business activity, and if the function is not a business activity, continue with analysis at step (f)(iv),

iii) for all functions, determine whether the business activity is repeatable within a same sub-process; and

indicate the function as a service; and

if the business activity is unrepeatable within the same sub-process, indicate the function as a function;

iv) for functions, determine if the function is from similar functionality analysis;

if the function is not from similar functionality analysis, remove the function;

v) for all functions, determine whether the function is a filter which can be part of the faç

ade and indicate the function as a function, and if the function is not a filter which can be part of the faç

ade, continue with analysis at step (f) (vi);

vi) for all functions, determine whether the function is reusable across different scenarios and indicate the function as a service;

if the function is not reusable across different scenarios, continue with analysis at step (f)(vii); and

vii) for all functions, determining whether the function is not reusable across different scenarios but valuable to business, indicating the function as a service, and if the function is not valuable to business, indicating the function as function.

14. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the pivot table comprises at least one function defined by a name, operation of the function, functional area, business type activity and function type.

15. The computer system of claim 11, wherein after program instructions (a)(viii), determine if there is not a faç

ade in which the function can be associated, determine if the function is sufficiently related to other functions, such that a faç

ade is created to relate the sufficiently related functions under the faç

ade.